Testing Results:
Visible Emissions:
The visible emissions were evaluated every 15 seconds and rated on a scale from 0% to 100% opacity by a qualified inspector.
The opacity readings for each cremation were then averaged over the six-minute period with the highest emissions. Figure 1 shows that visible emissions increased as the operating
temperature increased. Comparison is given to a typical state emission limit.
Particulate Matter:
The results of sampling show that particulate matter emissions also increased with
temperature. Overall, the emissions of particulate matter were very low.
The average test results for particulate matter (shown in Figure 2) as well as the results for all of the following pollutants,
are for the inlet to the scrubber. A comparison of the emissions before and after the water scrubber showed that the device had little to no effect on the emissions of any of the pollutants.
Carbon Monoxide:
The levels of carbon monoxide (Figure 3) were very low for each test condition, well below the typical state standard of 100 parts per million.
Nitrogen Oxides and Sulfur Dioxide:
The levels of these gases (shown in Figures 4 and 5) were within acceptable limits.
Hydrogen Chloride:
Hydrogen chloride (HCl) is a gaseous pollutant produced by the burning of plastics or other material containing chlorine.
The HCl emissions would not be expected to change with temperature. The average HCl emission for all the conditions was 0.15 pound per hour of operation.
Metals:
Like HCl, emissions of mercury, cadmium, and lead are not expected to vary with operating temperature. The metal of
concern from crematories is mercury, which mainly comes from dental fillings. The average mercury emission was 0.23 gram per hour of operation.
Dioxins and Furans:
Dioxins and furans are complex compounds released from many different combustion sources. The presence of chlorine in the combustion process is an important factor for dioxin and furan formation.
The test results show that the emissions of dioxins and furans went up as the temperature increased. The emissions, (shown in Figure 6) are low compared to other types of incinerators. The measurement unit is the nanogram, which is one
-billionth of a gram.
Conclusion:
The test results show that the emissions of nearly all the tested pollutants increased when the operating temperature was
raised. This indicates that there is no justification or benefit for the high operating temperatures required in many states.
The results also demonstrate that crematories are capable of low emissions without the use of additional pollution control equipment.
These findings should provide a positive benefit to the cremation industry as the EPA creates the new regulations.
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